A winch is a mechanical device that is used to pull in (wind up) or let out (wind out) or otherwise adjust the tension of a rope or wire rope (also called “cable” or “wire cable”). In its simplest form it consists of a spool and attached hand crank. In larger forms, winches stand at the heart of machines as diverse as tow trucks, steam shovels and elevators. The spool can also be called the winch drum. More elaborate designs have gear assemblies and can be powered by electric, hydraulic, pneumatic or internal combustion drives.
US20140284531 discloses an orbital winch having: lower and upper frames; spool having upper and lower flanges with lower flange attached to lower frame; axial tether guide mounted to upper frame; secondary slewing ring coaxial with spool and rotatably mounted to upper frame, wherein secondary slewing ring's outer surface has gearing; upper tether guide mounted to inner surface of secondary slewing ring; linear translation means having upper end mounted to upper frame and lower end mounted on lower frame; primary slewing ring rotatably mounted within linear translation means allowing translation axially between flanges, wherein primary slewing ring's outer surface has gearing; lower tether guide mounted on primary slewing ring's inner surface; pinion rod having upper end mounted to upper frame and lower end mounted to lower frame, wherein pinion rod's teeth engage primary and secondary stewing rings' outer surface teeth; and tether passing through axial, upper, and lower tether guides and winding around spool.
CN103663222 discloses an electric winch control device and method for winding and unwinding photoelectric composite cables for load bearing. The control device comprises a control unit, a friction winch brake resistor, a friction winch frequency converter, a friction winch, a friction winch signal detection unit, an industrial personal computer, an alternating current power supply, a storage winch frequency converter, a storage winch brake resistor and a storage winch. According to the method for winding and unwinding cables for load bearing, the variable-frequency regulating speed technology is adopted, combined with the control device, and therefore closed-loop control of the friction winch and the storage winch and synchronous control of the friction winch and the storage winch are achieved. Meanwhile, due to detection of various signals, safety of system operation is improved.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,607,182 discloses a winching arrangement is disclosed for winching a cable comprising a winching frame; a capstan for winding the cable onto; a drive motor for driving the capstan; and a first clutch mechanism for disengaging the capstan from the clutch when the torsional load on the cable exceeds a first predetermined limit. Preferably, the first clutch mechanism is located within the capstan and ideally the clutch mechanism is an adjustable cone clutch mechanism. The winching arrangement can further include a second adjustable clutch mechanism located adjacent the motor for providing secondary disengagement of the motor from the capstan when the cable exceeds a second predetermined limit. Further, a gear reducer can be interconnected between the capstan and the drive motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,175,163 discloses a so-called capstan winch comprising drums driving a cable and provided with a peripheral wall around which are strung independent peripheral rings. Said rings are provided with a peripheral groove designed to receive the cable and are made of an elastic material so as to allow both the cable to be driven and a relative sliding movement between the peripheral rings and the peripheral wall, the relative sliding movement being of amplitude substantially equal to longitudinal deformation of the cable, when it is subjected to tension stresses. The two drums can be axially offset relative to each other and their axes of rotation, may form a non-null angle of inclination.
US20100224844 discloses a winch for pulling a cable for maneuvering a load is composed of two motorized drums each including an active cylindrical peripheral surface equipped with several annular grooves, the cable intended to be wound around the two drums according to a helical arrangement. The motorized drums are each formed from at least three pulleys, that can each be rotated around a common central axis, cooperating with their own dedicated motor element and including a cylindrical peripheral surface equipped with at least one of the grooves: two pulleys known as outer pulleys, positioned between which is at least one pulley known as a central pulley. The central pulleys include at least one axial cylindrical extension, the cylindrical peripheral surface of which constitutes a rotation bearing for the central cylindrical surface of at least one of the other pulleys.
CN102135651 discloses an optical fiber micro cable withdrawing and releasing winch, which comprises a direct current torque motor, a winding drum, a tensioning mechanism and a cable arrangement mechanism, wherein the winding dram is connected with an output shaft of the direct current torque motor; the tensioning mechanism comprises a movable pulley, a fixed pulley A and a fixed pulley B; the movable pulley is arranged on a bracket with a spring device; and the optical fiber micro cable is wound and connected to the winding drum through the fixed pulley A, the movable pulley and the fixed pulley B.